Faith is so important that somehow when you now look back at this story of Peter – you will see that if Peter had not cast his net, he would not have seen the glory of God. If he had not suppressed his doubts because he started by expressing his doubts: "We have fished all night; we have caught nothing! I am an expert fisherman! Sir, if you learnt any trade, it is carpentry! If there's any fish in this river tonight I would have caught it!!" The doubt was there, but he pushed it down. He said, "At thy word – because You have spoken! Because You have spoken to me! I will do what You say."

Unbelief displeases God. It upsets Him. That's why we must run away from unbelief. Hebrews 11 verse 6 says, "For without faith it is impossible to please God."
In Hebrews 4 verses 1 and 2 the Bible tells us that unbelief is something we must fear. He said let us fear that some of us too we may have some rest, some miracles that God has reserved for us! Let us fear that unbelief will not rob us of it. Why is it that unbelief is so displeasing to God? It is simply that God has more than sufficient power – Daddy, you're too much! But no matter how mighty His power your unbelief will render that power useless!

Take Mark 3 verses 1-5. The Bible says, Jesus entered into a synagogue and there was a man there with a withered hand. And as soon as Jesus came in everybody was looking – "heh, heh! we know He's a miracle worker – let us see whether He will perform a miracle on the Sabbath day!" Then Jesus asked the man forward. He said, "Stretch forth your hand!" He knew the hand was withered – if that man had refused to act in faith, if he had not stretched forth his hand Jesus would have failed that day! "Stretch forth your hand." He said.."Ah, ah! I can't stretch it – it is withered!" Everybody would have said:" Heh,heh! how God had proved to us that on the Sabbath day this man is not supposed to heal.." But when the Lord said, "Stretch forth your hand!" the man didn't even wait for a second saying. He stretched forth his hand and it was restored as the second one. Today God is going to speak to someone. The moment you hear Him speak to you – grab it. Don't even think how its going to happen – just say! "Yes, Lord!"

Faith must be accompanied by works… then the big question is – how does faith come? How do we get the faith that God is talking about? Romans 10 verse 17 says, "So faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God." He did not say faith comes by reading. He did not even say faith comes by studying. He said faith comes by what? Faith comes by what you hear! That is why if you are attending a church where you are always hearing negatives – you need to pray! If your friends are those who say "eh! We know that God can do anything buuut ehhh! We know that God can do anything buuut….!" You need to change your friends because if you don't live with those who are always saying, "With God nothing shall be impossible" your faith, even if you have any, will decrease! That's why we encourage testimony.

When I got born again, in the Redeemed Christian Church of God, oh! The pastors will come, they will say: "Thank God! For the past 15 years I have not taken any tablets, I have not gone to any hospital!" I will say, " That's why you're looking for somebody to kill! Do I follow you to your house? You have shown me the way to heaven – don't let me get there too soon!" I'm telling you the truth! That was the way it was with me then. But then one day there was an old man in the church, about 80 something years old and when I met him in the church he was always walking double with a walking stick. But then one Sunday morning we saw him in church walking straight – no walking stick and they announced that this man is going too give the testimony of his healing tonight! I was the first one in the church that evening. I want to hear from somebody who is not a pastor because the way some of them have been giving their testimonies my scientific mind said, "Don't mind them!"….. "I had a headache last week, I prayed. And it went!" "Well, I had a headache – I prayed and it didn't go!! So don't mind them!"

So I wanted to hear what this man had to say – the old man said, when he was younger he contracted venereal disease and they couldn't cure him properly and so each time he tried to raise himself up fire will be burning him – so when he bends down the pain will subside. He had been walking like that for years – then he went home somewhere in Yorubaland and as is custom he would go from house to house witnessing. So he was going from house to house talking about Jesus. Then the devil spoke to him: "Old man! Go home! If this your Jesus is as powerful as you say why has he not healed you?" And the old man said, a terrible anger welled up within him – "Devil! You're laughing at my God? If I'm going to die today I will die but I'm not going to walk double anymore!" He broke his walking stick, threw the thing away and then he got up and began to walk home. And he said as he got up, the fire began to burn. I say, "Ah! This man is telling the truth!" He say, as he was going he was feeling dizzy and so he said, he began to say to Jesus, "If I'm going to die just do me one favour – don't let me die in the street! Don't let the devil laugh at you!" I said, "This man is telling the truth!" And so he kept on going, feeling dizzy; the pain was burning…He said as he got to the threshold of his house, the pain disappeared! Let somebody shout Alleluia! (Alleluia!)

PASTOR E. A. AEBOYE, General Overseer RCCG

Excerpts From 1998 Holy Ghost Service